European Commission exposing Union to further energy security threat?

Brussels, Belgium: A Commission impact assessment leaked today highlights the benefits of more energy efficiency. However, it appears that outgoing President Barroso, and Commissioners Oettinger and Hedegaard may have made an initial deal for an indicative 27% energy efficiency target by 2030. Such a target, almost the lowest level of options examined, would require virtually no future effort and would threaten EU energy security.

The impact assessment [1], leaked today, shows that increasing energy efficiency in Europe would boost jobs and GDP, while also cutting the EU’s fossil fuel import bill and dependency on Russian gas.

Jason Anderson, Head of European Climate and Energy Policy for WWF said:

“I find it hard to believe that these outgoing Commissioners could even consider such a destructive approach. It is a slap in the face of Europeans who want to see lower energy bills. It is a slap in the face of the European Parliament who have called for much more action. It is a slap in the face of those countries [2], including Germany, who only this week called on the Commission to propose an ambitious binding target. Only Vladimir Putin and his gas oligarchs will be happy with this.”

“27% would be a fig leaf on total inaction. The leaked impact assessment shows that Europe could win clear benefits from a target of up to 40% efficiency, but the message does not seem to have got through.”